Internally electrically powered bumper cars comprising multiple drive wheels and integral hub motors

Abstract

“Bumper car” amusement rides are disclosed. An exemplary bumper car comprises a frame, a seat, a portable source of electrical power for propelling the car, multiple drive wheels, a motor controller, and at least one rider control. The seat is configured to hold and position at least one rider of the bumper car. The source is a portable source, mounted to the frame, of electrical power for propelling the bumper car. Each drive wheel comprises a respective hub motor that, when supplied with the electrical power from the source, rotates the respective drive wheel relative to the frame and propels the bumper car. The controller is connected to the source and to the hub motors. The controller is configured: (a) to limit a maximal current supplied by the source to the hub motors during a surge-current situation to a preset maximum, and (b) to ramp down the maximal current over a preset time interval during the surge-current situation. The at least one rider control is interconnected with the source and the hub motors and is configured to be manipulated by a rider for maneuvering the bumper car.

1. A bumper car, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a seat attached to the frame, the seat being configured to hold and position at least one rider of the bumper car; 
 a portable source, mounted to the frame, of electrical power for propelling the bumper car; 
 multiple drive wheels mounted to the frame, each drive wheel comprising a respective hub motor that, when supplied with the electrical power from the source, rotates the respective drive wheel relative to the frame and propels the bumper car, each hub motor being a combination of an electric motor and one or more gears located in a hub of the respective drive wheel; 
 a motor controller connected to the source and to the hub motors, the motor controller being configured (a) to limit a maximal current, supplied by the source to the hub motors during a surge-current situation, to a preset maximum, and (b) to ramp down the maximal current, over a preset time interval, during the surge-current situation; and 
 at least one rider control interconnected with the source, the hub motors, and the motor controller and configured to be manipulated by a rider for propelling and maneuvering the bumper car. 
 
     
     
       2. The bumper car of  claim 1 , wherein the motor controller is further configured to limit a steady-state current, supplied to the hub motors during actual running of the motors, to a preset value that is lower than the maximal current. 
     
     
       3. The bumper car of  claim 1 , further comprising a bumper mounted to and extending substantially circumferentially around the frame. 
     
     
       4. The bumper car of  claim 1 , wherein the source of electrical power comprises at least one battery. 
     
     
       5. The bumper car of  claim 4 , wherein the source of electrical power comprises multiple batteries. 
     
     
       6. The bumper car of  claim 5 , wherein the multiple batteries are arranged in pairs, each pair being connected so as to provide, in a selectable individual manner, electrical power to the hub motors, such that, when one pair is supplying the electrical power to the hub motors, the other pair is not supplying the electrical power to the hub motors, and vice versa. 
     
     
       7. The bumper car of  claim 5 , wherein the multiple batteries are arranged into a first battery set and a second battery set, the sets being connected so as to provide, in a selectable individual manner, electrical power to the hub motors, such that, when the first battery set is supplying the electrical power to the hub motors, the second battery set is not supplying the electrical power to the hub motors, and vice versa. 
     
     
       8. The bumper car of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first battery set comprises two respective batteries; and 
 the second battery set comprises two respective batteries. 
 
     
     
       9. The bumper car of  claim 8 , wherein, in each battery set, the respective batteries are connected together in series. 
     
     
       10. The bumper car of  claim 7 , further comprising a battery-selector switch interconnected with the battery sets, the battery-selector switch having a first selectable position allowing electrical power to be drawn from the first battery set to the hub motors, and a second selectable position allowing electrical power to be drawn from the second battery set to the hub motors. 
     
     
       11. The bumper car of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one rider control comprises a respective joystick. 
     
     
       12. The bumper car of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the multiple drive wheels comprise a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel; 
 the at least one rider control comprises a first joystick and a second joystick; and 
 the first joystick is connected so as to control operation of the left drive wheel, and the second joystick is connected so as to control operation of the right drive wheel. 
 
     
     
       13. The bumper car of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first joystick is an analog joystick with a throttle zone and is situated to be manipulated by a left hand of the rider; and 
 the second joystick is an analog joystick with a throttle zone and is situated to be manipulated by a right hand of the rider independently of the first joystick; and 
 the speed at which one of the respective drive wheels rotates depends upon the position of one of the analog joysticks in a respective throttle zone. 
 
     
     
       14. The bumper car of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the source produces 24 VDC electrical power; 
 the respective hub motors are configured to run on the 24 VDC for rotating the respective drive wheels; and 
 the motor controller is configured (a) to limit the maximal current supplied to the hub motors during a surge-current situation to a preset maximum in a range of 25 to 30 amps, (b) to limit the steady-state current, supplied to the hub motors during actual running of the motors to a preset value in a range of 5 to 20 amps, and (c) during the surge-current situation to ramp down the maximal current to the steady-state current over a preset time interval in a range of 1 to 3 seconds. 
 
     
     
       15. A bumper car, comprising:
 a frame; 
 a seat attached to the frame, the seat being configured to hold and position at least one rider of the bumper car; 
 a portable source, mounted to the frame, of electrical power for propelling the bumper car; 
 multiple drive wheels mounted to the frame, each drive wheel comprising a respective hub motor that, when supplied with the electrical power from the source, rotates the respective drive wheel relative to the frame and propels the bumper car, each hub motor being a combination of an electric motor and one or more gear means located in a hub of the respective drive wheel; 
 a motor controller connected to the source and to the hub motors, the motor controller being configured to perform at least two of (a) limiting a maximal current, supplied by the source to the hub motors during a surge-current situation, to a preset maximum, (b) ramping down the maximal current, over a preset time interval, during the surge-current situation, and (c) limiting a steady-state current, supplied to the hub motors during actual running of the motors, to a preset value that is lower than the maximal current; and 
 at least one rider control interconnected with the source, the hub motors, and the motor controller and configured to be manipulated by a rider for propelling and maneuvering the bumper car. 
 
     
     
       16. A bumper car, comprising:
 frame means for holding and supporting components of the bumper car; 
 seat means for holding and positioning a rider while riding in and maneuvering the bumper car; 
 portable power means, supported by said frame means, for supplying electrical power; 
 drive-wheel means for propelling the bumper car, the drive-wheel means comprising hub-motor means for actuating, when said hub-motor means are supplied with electrical power from said portable power means, said drive-wheel means to propel the bumper car, each hub-motor means being a combination of electric motor means and gear means located in a hub of the respective drive-wheel means; 
 motor-controller means for controlling the supplying of electrical power from said portable power means to said hub-motor means while (a) limiting a maximal current, supplied by said portable power means to said hub-motor means, during a surge-current situation to a preset maximum, and (b) ramping down the maximal current, over a preset time interval, during the surge-current situation; and 
 control means, manipulatable by the rider, for supplying electrical power to said hub-motor means to propel the bumper car and to maneuver the bumper car. 
 
     
     
       17. The bumper car of  claim 16 , wherein said motor-controller means controls the supplying of electrical power to said hub-motor means further while limiting a steady-state current, supplied to said hub-motor means, to a preset value that is lower than the maximal current. 
     
     
       18. The bumper car of  claim 16 , wherein said portable power means comprises battery means. 
     
     
       19. The bumper car of  claim 16 , further comprising bumper means for cushioning impact of the bumper car with other objects. 
     
     
       20. The bumper car of  claim 19 , wherein said portable power means comprises battery means. 
     
     
       21. The bumper car of  claim 20 , wherein said battery means comprises multiple batteries, the bumper car further comprising selector means for selecting a particular one or more batteries for use in propelling the bumper car. 
     
     
       22. The bumper car of  claim 16 , wherein said control means comprises at least one joystick means. 
     
     
       23. The bumper car of  claim 16 , wherein:
 said drive-wheel means comprises first and second drive wheels; and 
 said hub-motor means comprises first and second hub motors associated with the first and second drive wheels, respectively; 
 wherein said motor-controller means is for controlling the supplying of electrical power from said portable power means to the first and second hub-motors. 
 
     
     
       24. A method for propelling a bumper car, comprising:
 providing a bumper car with first and second drive wheels powered by first and second hub motors, respectively, that are integral with the first and second drive wheels, respectively, each hub motor being a combination of an electric motor and one or more gears located in a hub of the respective drive wheel; 
 providing a source of electrical power carried by the bumper car; and 
 controlling delivery of electrical power from the source to the first and second hub motors so as to energize the hub motors in a selective manner serving to propel the bumper car, while (a) limiting a maximal current supplied by the source to the hub motors, during a surge-current situation, to a preset maximum, and (b) ramping down the maximal current over a preset time interval during the surge-current situation. 
 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 24 , wherein the source of electrical power is provided by at least a first and a second battery. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 24 , wherein controlling delivery of electrical power from the source to the first and second hub motors further comprises limiting a steady-state current, supplied to the hub motors during actual running of the motors, at a preset value that is lower than the maximal current. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 24 , further comprising steering the bumper car while propelling the bumper car. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein steering is performed by controlling respective amounts of electrical current delivered to the first and second hub motors so as to produce corresponding rotational velocities of the first and second drive wheels. 
     
     
       29. A method for propelling and maneuvering a bumper car, comprising:
 providing a bumper car with first and second drive wheels powered by first and second hub motors, respectively, that are integral with the first and second drive wheels, respectively, each hub motor being a combination of an electric motor and one or more gears located in a hub of the respective drive wheel; 
 providing a source of electrical power carried by the bumper car; 
 controlling delivery of electrical power from the source to the first and second hub motors so as to energize the hub motors in a selective manner serving to propel the bumper car, the delivery control including at least two of (a) limiting a maximal current supplied by the source to the hub motors, during a surge-current situation, to a preset maximum, (b) ramping down the maximal current over a preset time interval during the surge-current situation, and (c) limiting a steady-state current, supplied to the hub motors during actual running of the motors, at a preset value that is lower than the maximal current; and 
 steering the bumper car by controlling respective amounts of electrical current delivered to the first and second hub motors so as to produce corresponding rotational velocities of the first and second drive wheels.